Laser projectors can be great replacements for a room-dominating big-screen TV, but kids, cats and even fellow housemates can cause you to lose sight of the action if they move in front of the light. Ultra-short-throw models can nip such shadowplay in the bud, like the new PL2 from Hisense.
Last year, Hisense hit CES with a bunch of 4K Laser Cinema projectors. The PX2-Pro has already made way for an updated model, and now it's the turn of the PL1 to give up its place to a fresh new model.
"The PL2 brings versatility and elevated design to the UST market, offering an exceptional home cinema experience without compromising on style," said the company. "With its ultra-short throw design and adjustable projection size ranging from 80 to 150 inches, the PL2 provides a perfect balance of form and function."
That maximum image size trumps the PL1's 120 diagonal inches, and it achieves the magic 150 from 17.99 inches away thanks to a throw ratio of 0.22:1 and a boost in brightness to 2,700 ANSI lumens from the X-Fusion laser engine.
The projection engine still throws out 4K/60Hz visuals though, and AI-enhanced content upscaling is cooked in as well. The system covers 85% of the DCI-P3 color space and has 3,000:1 native contrast (2-million:1 dynamic). There's support for Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG content, too.
The PL2 has also been treated to a wireless boost to 802.11ac Wi-Fi, for improved connectivity to the Google TV platform, which comes with native Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, YouTube and more ready to roll. Chromecast and AirPlay2 are available for screen sharing if you'd prefer, and voice searches can be had via the remote courtesy of Google Assistant or Alexa.
On the audio front, the Laser Cinema boasts a 30-W top-firing sound system with Dolby Atmos immersion, but there's HDMI 2.0 with audio return and analog/optical connections if you want to use external audio gear.
There are two more HDMI ports around back, both bumped to version 2.1 and offering console gamers an auto optimization feature that includes a low-latency mode. Ethernet LAN plus USB 2.0 and 3.0 complete the connectivity options. The projector is also compatible with Control4 and Apple HomeKit smart home setups.
The Hisense PL2 model is available now for US$2,499.99.
Product page: PL2 Laser Cinema UST projector
